I'm honestly amazed by how ingenious and plastic-like biodegradable packing is getting. If its not bullshit like "ya, it'll break down in 300 years or before the heat death of the universe", I...
I'm honestly amazed by how ingenious and plastic-like biodegradable packing is getting. If its not bullshit like "ya, it'll break down in 300 years or before the heat death of the universe", I approve :)
Even like some packaging can be made from sugarcane somehow so in theory, you could theoretically eat it?! Maybe wash it off first, like a fruit. Like a fruit.
Yep. It’s made from cellulose, the binding agent that keeps wood fibers together. Plant derived, biodegradable, compostable. The only thing is its production uses some nasty chemicals, but those...
Yep. It’s made from cellulose, the binding agent that keeps wood fibers together. Plant derived, biodegradable, compostable. The only thing is its production uses some nasty chemicals, but those processes have been getting a lot better lately.
At least the 300 years like with PLA is less terrible than "Maybe never", although calling it compostable plastic like some do is being terribly generous.
At least the 300 years like with PLA is less terrible than "Maybe never", although calling it compostable plastic like some do is being terribly generous.
The biodegradability of PLA is highly debated; it is "compostable" only if you put it into an extremely expensive commercial composting machine which heats it over long periods of time. To give...
The biodegradability of PLA is highly debated; it is "compostable" only if you put it into an extremely expensive commercial composting machine which heats it over long periods of time. To give you a sense of scale the only really accessible means of actually making sure that PLA gets recycled in any meaningful way is Terracycle's service which, for an approximately 1 cubic foot box, costs over $160 and is subsidized by nobody.
That being said, I have also read that Terracycle just contracts different recycling companies to do the actual work, so you might be able to find a facility that handles them directly if you are better at research than I am.
A lot of places here in the Philippines have outlawed or otherwise penalized single-use plastics, so alternatives have gotten common, such as takeout food packaging and straws made of paper,...
A lot of places here in the Philippines have outlawed or otherwise penalized single-use plastics, so alternatives have gotten common, such as takeout food packaging and straws made of paper, sugarcane, and cassava. The main issue with these materials would be logistics and storage-- they are more vulnerable to pests and moisture. And this country is so hot and humid. So compared to plastic materials, they need more careful handling and climate-controlled storage. Great that these alternatives are so readily available though!
The cassava bag is somewhat plastic-like, but I do wonder if its production process uses harsh chemicals, as I remember it having a strong acetone-like smell. That was a dealbreaker for me, unfortunately. (The manufacturer explained to me that the smell was "a mixture of cassava, vegetable oil and compostable polymers and is slightly masked by oil fragrances" and could be lessened by airing the bags out for a couple days.)
Lego is one of those items that make sense that they are made of plastic. If they could find a material that meets all their requirements while not being made of an oil byproduct, that's great,...
Lego is one of those items that make sense that they are made of plastic. If they could find a material that meets all their requirements while not being made of an oil byproduct, that's great, but I don't think there is too much lost that they haven't been able to. Lego's are toys that are near infinitely reusable. It's something that (probably) wouldn't be possible without plastic. I feel they can redirect that billion dollars toward reducing the amount of plastic they use in packaging (they are already working on it), figuring out ways to reduce single use shipping plastics, reducing delivery emissions, and more before trying to replace the bricks themselves.
This makes sense! I don't know if there are studies or statistics about what percentage of plastic trash is comprised of lego bricks, but just going by what I typically see around beaches for...
This makes sense! I don't know if there are studies or statistics about what percentage of plastic trash is comprised of lego bricks, but just going by what I typically see around beaches for example... it mostly seems to be packaging such as plastic bottles and laminated foil sachets.
I wish they would stop using the plastic bags to hold the legos. I can’t recycle them and have to put them in the trash.
They are already in the process of switching to paper bags.
I'm honestly amazed by how ingenious and plastic-like biodegradable packing is getting. If its not bullshit like "ya, it'll break down in 300 years or before the heat death of the universe", I approve :)
Even like some packaging can be made from sugarcane somehow so in theory, you could theoretically eat it?! Maybe wash it off first, like a fruit. Like a fruit.
Celophane has been around for over 100 years, is biodegradable, and is quite plastic like. I’m surprised it’s not used more
Is it really? Had no idea
Yep. It’s made from cellulose, the binding agent that keeps wood fibers together. Plant derived, biodegradable, compostable. The only thing is its production uses some nasty chemicals, but those processes have been getting a lot better lately.
God, I love this place. These are my people
Hahaha that would be great.
Take a bag home and just eat it after. No waste!
At least the 300 years like with PLA is less terrible than "Maybe never", although calling it compostable plastic like some do is being terribly generous.
The biodegradability of PLA is highly debated; it is "compostable" only if you put it into an extremely expensive commercial composting machine which heats it over long periods of time. To give you a sense of scale the only really accessible means of actually making sure that PLA gets recycled in any meaningful way is Terracycle's service which, for an approximately 1 cubic foot box, costs over $160 and is subsidized by nobody.
That being said, I have also read that Terracycle just contracts different recycling companies to do the actual work, so you might be able to find a facility that handles them directly if you are better at research than I am.
A lot of places here in the Philippines have outlawed or otherwise penalized single-use plastics, so alternatives have gotten common, such as takeout food packaging and straws made of paper, sugarcane, and cassava. The main issue with these materials would be logistics and storage-- they are more vulnerable to pests and moisture. And this country is so hot and humid. So compared to plastic materials, they need more careful handling and climate-controlled storage. Great that these alternatives are so readily available though!
The cassava bag is somewhat plastic-like, but I do wonder if its production process uses harsh chemicals, as I remember it having a strong acetone-like smell. That was a dealbreaker for me, unfortunately. (The manufacturer explained to me that the smell was "a mixture of cassava, vegetable oil and compostable polymers and is slightly masked by oil fragrances" and could be lessened by airing the bags out for a couple days.)
Lego is one of those items that make sense that they are made of plastic. If they could find a material that meets all their requirements while not being made of an oil byproduct, that's great, but I don't think there is too much lost that they haven't been able to. Lego's are toys that are near infinitely reusable. It's something that (probably) wouldn't be possible without plastic. I feel they can redirect that billion dollars toward reducing the amount of plastic they use in packaging (they are already working on it), figuring out ways to reduce single use shipping plastics, reducing delivery emissions, and more before trying to replace the bricks themselves.
This makes sense! I don't know if there are studies or statistics about what percentage of plastic trash is comprised of lego bricks, but just going by what I typically see around beaches for example... it mostly seems to be packaging such as plastic bottles and laminated foil sachets.
Moderation/balance in all things. Including moderation